Softball Splits Series in Virginia Beach

Two more tight games left the Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) Lady Royals with another split at the Beach Blast in Virginia Beach, Va., on Saturday, March 2, 2013. EMU now has quality wins over Methodist and Allegheny in their tough non-conference schedule as they prepare for their home opener this week.

EMU 8, Allegheny 6 The Lady Royals picked up an impressive win over a talented Allegheny team to open day two at the Beach Blast. The women scored four in the second and four more in the fourth, then held on for the win.

In the second, Heather Bagwell (Harrisonburg, VA/Broadway) singled with one away and her teammates responded by loading the bases. Brooke Hensley (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) walked in one run, and Brooke Sigrist (Crimora, VA/Fort Defiance) brought in another with an RBI groundout. Courtney Allman (Mt. Solon, VA/Fort Defiance) then stuck a two-run single into right field.

Hensley, Sigrist and Allman each singled with one out in the fourth to start the next rally. An error and a sacrifice fly brought in the final three runs as the women went up 8-0.

The Gators got a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth, and then plated five more runs off reliever Nicole Smith (Manassas, VA/Forest Park) in the fifth. Allegheny had a two-out rally in the seventh, but a groundball ended the game and gave EMU the win.

Molly Smith (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) scattered three hits over 4.0 innings of work from the circle to get the win and improve to 1-0. Smith earned the save despite giving up five runs in her 3.0 innings.

Allman had two of EMU’s six hits, going 2-3 with three RBI and a run. She also walked. Hensley went 1-3 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in another.

Washington 2, EMU 1 Washington College scored the game’s first run with two outs in the fourth. Then in the sixth, they added insurance with a leadoff homerun.

Hensley jacked a one-out homer in the bottom of the sixth to slice the lead in half. Allman had a two-out double later in the inning, and Angelia Miller (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) had a two-out double in the seventh, but both runners were left stranded.

Kaitlyn Morris (Elkton, VA/Page County) allowed just five hits but took the loss to slide to 0-3. Hensley, Allman, Aislinn Lucas (Grottoes, VA/Fort Defiance) and Miller each had one of EMU’s hits.

Now 2-4 on the year, the Lady Royals return to Harrisonburg for their home opener this week. The women are scheduled to host Southern Virginia on Wednesday, although the teams are looking at possibly playing the doubleheader earlier in the week because of snow in the forecast.